


Complicated

by hailjaps



Category: Naruto
Genre: Crack, Drama, Fanfiction, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-06-01 05:51:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15136520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hailjaps/pseuds/hailjaps
Summary: Naruto is being driven crazy by his decorator, Sasuke, who makes everything complicated for him even if it looks like a simple task. Won't the guy just accept him for once? After all he is the one who took him as his partner. Sasuke is just too weird to be deciphered.





	1. Chapter 1

Naruto was already 24 years old when he was in his last year of the university. It took him about two years, if he wasn't mistaken, to get him into the university. He had to work and save money to go to his dream university to become a decorator, his dream job. If he had the money, right after he graduated from high school, he would've been working as a decorator by now. But he hadn't had the money back then, so here he was at the age of 24, still sitting on his last year of college.

It was ironic for him to want to become a decorator when his apartment was a mess.

He was an orphan, and he only had his godparent, Jiraiya, as his relative. Jiraiya was a writer, and the man always traveling so Naruto had to spend most of his time alone.

On his graduation day of high school, Jiraiya came back to Japan. The man had asked him what he wanted to do next. He had said that he wanted to go to the university to become a decorator. The man had agreed on his decision, even though he was hoping that Naruto would come with him traveling the world. Jiraiya was willing to pay for his college, but Naruto refused. He didn't want to burden the man after what he had done to him. The writer had paid the electronic bills, his everyday needs, and his school's tuition for the past few years, so he had hoped that he would start working on his own and pay for his school by himself rather than hoping everything on the old man. Jiraiya understood his godson's way of thinking, he gave Naruto a choice.

_"If you insist on it, how about you postponed your plan on going to university and go with me? I will pay you and you can save the money for your college."_

_"What I am going to do with you abroad?"_

_"Hmm... I was thinking about proof-reading my book since you are good with English."_

Jiraiya had been teaching Naruto foreign languages for all of his life. English was like his second language by now. That was why he always scored the best when it came to English in his schools.

Jiraiya had given him a week to think it over before he flew back to the US. Naruto eventually agreed to it and he ended up spending his two years in New York.

When he came back to Japan, he was already 20. He entered his dream university two years later after high school. The money he had earned from working with his godfather overseas only last for the first two years of university. Even though Jiraiya still sent him money, it only covered up the electronic bills and his everyday needs. There was some money left, but it wasn't enough to pay for the third and fourth years of his university, so he was forced to work again and saved them while at the same time he had to attend classes.

"How are you, old man?" Naruto smiled seeing his godfather as he slurped his ramen. They were video calling. It was Thursday at seven in the morning, and he had a class at nine. The class would end at eleven. After that, he would go to his part-time job at eleven thirty and it would end at three before his second class at four in the evening. Hectic day.

"You should worry about yourself first, son. Nobody in their right mind would eat ramen as their breakfast." Jiraiya laughed at his grandson. Sometimes he was worried about his godson's eating habit. But as far as he was worried, the kid was still as healthy as ever.

"I'm amazed that you keep track on our time differences, old man." Naruto grinned.

Jiraiya smiled. "How's your university going?"

Naruto hummed after he slurped his ramen. "It's my last year as a student. Hopefully, I could become a million-yen decorator as Uchiha sensei in two years!"

"I don't agree with you saying that you hopefully could become a million-yen decorator."

"Hm? Why?"

"Not that you could, but you WILL become one."

Naruto gave his godfather a blinding smile. "I surely will, my bad!"

Jiraiya smiled back. He sometimes couldn't fathom how he could raise someone to become as good as Naruto. The boy was too sweet to people contrary to himself, but you wouldn't ever cross the line.

"Old man, I have class today and I need to hurry. I will call you later!"

"Alright, brat. Take care!"

"Bye, old man! You, too!"

The video-call ended. Naruto emptied the cup of his ramen by drinking it in one go before he stood up and ready to leave his house. He always went to the university by train, and it took him about fifteen minutes. He still had time before his first class started but he always liked coming to the university early. That way he had time to walk around the university leisurely. He usually got inspirations before his first class that day started. Beside getting inspirations, he just enjoyed walking around the university in the morning, since it was so refreshing.

The first class of that day started. He was the first person to enter the class. His lecturer that day was Hatake sensei, and the man was famous for being late, but luckily when the class ended, Hatake sensei would dismiss the class, not prolonging it, so he was grateful with that.

"There is a news that Hatake sensei won't be coming to class. He ordered us to check our email right now." Tenten, one of his classmates said. As instructed, Naruto went to check on his email on his already opened laptop.

"Dear minions,

I'm so sorry that I do not actually feel the slightest sorry for not attending class today, as I have a more important thing to do than seeing all of you today. I want you all to make a design for a bedroom with "Black & White" as the theme. Be as creative as possible. I want the design to be sent back to me by replying this email today before midnight. If you are late for a day, I will reduce the score by ten points.

With so much love,

Your one and only beloved decorator

Kakashi Hatake."

Naruto rolled his eyes throughout the email. His lecturers were all crazy on their own "unique" way, and Kakashi was not an exception. He would have strangled them if only they were on the same age as him. He shook his head and began working on his task. It was still nine in the morning and he only had two hours before he left off to his part-time job. He began thinking about his time management. He would finish his part-time job at three, and he had to get back to the university again because he had another class at four. The second class would finish at six, and he would go back to his job at seven. The restaurant he worked at closed at ten, so he had two hours left before midnight. If he were, to sum up, his time to make a design, he only had four hours. He shook his head. He could do this. With that in mind, he began doing his assignment.

It was almost eleven when Kiba decided to crash into his class.

"What's up, man!"

Kiba was his best friend since middle school. They attended high school together and went to the same university as well, only the guy took vet as his major, given that he liked animal, especially dogs.

"Kiba, I'm busy," Naruto complained absent-mindedly as his eyes were kept glued to the screen of his laptop.

"I know. I just have a message for you."

This caught Naruto's attention. "Huh? From who?"

Kiba grinned. "Your favorite lecturer needs you at his room."

"Huh? My fave- who?" For some reason, he already knew the answer.

Kiba deadpanned. "Uchiha sensei."

"Don't put it that way, Kiba!" The fact that everyone in the university called him as Uchiha's favorite gave him a different idea. Naruto shook his head to repel the thought away. "Also, when? Now?"

"Nah. He said next year. Of course now, you idiot!" Kiba had the tendency to hit Naruto's head.

Naruto flinched and massage his abused head. He sighed deeply as he began saving his half-done design, shutting down his laptop and put it in his bag. "I wonder what he needs now? Do you think I made a mistake today, Kiba? Did I pee in his car?"

Kiba shrugged. "He said you have to hurry."

"Damn him!" But eventually, Naruto fastened his movement and thanked Kiba before he left the brunette to the yet another "crazy" lecturer of his.

In no time he was outside his lecturer's room. There on the mahogany door was placed a metal plate with the "Uchiha S." engraved on it. Naruto was hesitant on coming inside but this was his lecturer.

Naruto took a deep breath before he lifted his hand in the air, ready to knock on the door. What could it be this time? Yes, this time, because it was not like the first time the Uchiha ordered someone to tell that he needed him. He always met the guy like every day in the university, except Saturday and Sunday, and it usually concerned about –what he thought as– something random or silly things and he had started to think that the guy just wanted to see him with his lame conversation which somehow looked like something deadly serious just to annoy the hell out of him to no end. Now that he thought about that, was the guy a sadist? Naruto was sure that the guy loved to make others suffer, and that smirks... He unconsciously shuddered when he thought about being the guy's lover.

Wait a minute, what was he thinking?

He rolled his eyes at his ridiculous thoughts and knocked three times before there was a _"come in"_ coming from the inside. He opened the room and bowed before he closed it behind.

"Uchiha-sensei." Meet the guy, Uchiha Sasuke, twenty-seven years old, one of those successful million-dollar decorators in Japan, which happened to be one of his lecturers, the God had sent to make one Naruto Uzumaki's life a hell lot of complicated in a painful, twisted way.

"Uzumaki. Have a seat." was the order Naruto received from the somehow intimidating man before he made his way to sit across the Uchiha with a mahogany desk separating them. Naruto would never understand what the guy was thinking. Since the beginning of the time, about three years ago, he never heard the guy called others with honorific after their last name, and he never heard the guy calling others with the first name, either. Either the guy was too much of an anti-social with no close friends or the guy was too heartless to even care.

His classmates had said that he was Uchiha's favorite since the beginning of the time about how he would always be the one who the Uchiha would call out for, no matter what it would be which was false because the guy seemed to always have the way to get on his nerves or so what he defended himself to others.

If a person made someone as their favorite, wouldn't they treat them nice? If his friends were right, then he hoped that he wasn't anybody's favorite.

"Have you gotten yourself a place for an internship?"

Oh right, internship this time... Not so lame, after all... Now that he thought about that... "No, sir."

Uchiha raised his eyebrow. "How come? What did you do this whole time, then?"

See? The guy would always rub it on him like a lotion. Calm down, Naruto... "I have been busy with my part-time job and other things..." He trailed off. Well, he needed money for the university...

"I believe that you have to put your school first than anything else. Don't you worry about whether you would graduate, no?"

Naruto suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. If they were in the same age, they would never get along and Naruto would punch the guy to death for being an ass. Why did the guy always have his way on him? Did the guy not have a fucking life? And why would it always be him? What did he do in his past life to deserve this? Did he kill a puppy?

Naruto sighed. He was being too exaggerating. "I'm sorry, sir. I will look for one." If he wasn't thinking about graduating, he would bark back at the guy for sticking up his nose for everything he did or even his life. Why? He had everybody's attention, that's why, and it left him with no one. One time he had liked a girl and she seemed to like him back but then just the next day he saw the girl with the Uchiha and then the day after when he was about to ask the girl out, she turned him down. Just what the hell?

"With the remaining time you have, I am afraid that you wouldn't get it in time,"

Naruto raised his eyebrow in confusion. Back to the current topic, they still have thirty days left until the internship so he thought that he would get one in no time but what's with this guy? Did he seriously think that he wouldn't get one in less than a month? Did he really underestimate him this much?

Naruto was ready to counterattack but the guy cuts him off. "-so I will offer you to have an internship in my company."

WHAT THE HELL? Grr... This guy! If it was what his intention would be from the beginning, then why did he have to ramble first? Oh right, Uchiha-sensei always did things in a complicated way.

"I-"

"Oh and one thing, Uzumaki... I don't take no for an answer."

Fucking... What? Naruto wanted to retort something but there's no word coming out from his mouth and it made him appear like a fish on the land in need of oxygen.

What the hell?

Oh, that fucking smirked... How he seriously wanted to punch that demonic expression so bad. Naruto closed his eyes and tried to control himself from exploding. But then at the bright side, at least the guy helped him saving the time to look for a company. And on top of that, wait... Did the guy just offer him to have an internship in the Uchiha's Group?

"Uchiha-sensei, are you offering me to actually have an internship in your company?" He had to ask again just to make sure if he heard it right, no? The group was best known for their million dollar decorators and decorations! Uchiha could actually earn enough money from the group alone but why would he actually volunteer himself in teaching? That's right, this was Uchiha and they were just unpredictable and unreadable in a complicated, twisted way. Naruto seriously had thought about the guy as an alien.

Uchiha raised his eyebrow, still smirking. "Are you deaf, Uzumaki?"

Fucking... "No, sir, I mean, maybe I heard it wrong so-"

"Make sure you don't have any other plans in the near future. Pack your bags and I will send my man to pick you up on Sunday evening. We will start on Monday."

Wait a minute... "Pack my bags for?" What's the packing shit? "Also, Sunday when?" He didn't seriously think Sunday, as in the day after tomorrow, right?

Uchiha rolled his eyes. "You heard me, Idiot."

Idiot? "What? Isn't that the internship would start next month?"

"Pack your bags, because you are moving with me. Sunday... as in the day after tomorrow. And FYI, I need you as soon as possible. The earlier you start, the earlier you'll finish."

"Hey, why would I be moving out with you?"

"Because. Having an internship in a big scale company is a pain in the ass and I will need you all the time at any moment and I expect you to get ready at any time, and I wouldn't want to have to wait for you to come from that filthy place of yours that you called your house to me, got it?"

"What kind of work I am in, anyway?" and anyway, filthy house? Just what-

"You are going to be my assistant."

Excuse me? "But, my part-time job-" It was hard enough to be his, say, favorite student, for about three years by now and it only less than five days each week, and now Uchiha wanted him to be his assistant? And what's more, asking him to live under the same roof with the Uchiha? He would face the guy who practically annoyed him to no end for three fucking months, twenty-four seven?

"Don't worry. I will pay you. Just say how much you need and I will think about it."

Naruto hesitated with the whole idea. But then again, he had heard rumors of those of his seniors who had an internship with the Uchiha group that the pay was high and the Uchiha himself just said that he could just say how much he needed, and it was his weakness, high pay.

"You don't need to worry about bills and foods."

Shit, this was it. "Okay then."

"Good. I will call you an hour before my man picks you up, Sunday."

Naruto nodded and bowed for the last time before he took his leave. He had no idea that it would be the beginning of the apocalypse...

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone told me that this website has more traffic then the other one. You know how a freelance author like me gets her courage from the readers, right? If my free work doesn't get much appreciations then it makes me lazy to write more, lol.

The bell of the restaurant rang, a sign that a customer came by. All of the staffs who worked at Konoha Restaurant greeted the customer in unison.

"Welcome!"

Except for Naruto. Why? Because the guy was wiping the table absent-mindedly. He was too pre-occupied on daydreaming about something that he wasn't aware of his surrounding.

There was a tap on his shoulder before a deep voice followed. "Uzumaki."

Even without looking, he already knew who that voice belonged to.

Unconsciously Naruto shuddered and he had to hit his head inwardly and cursed for shuddering instead of flinching. But no use.

He met the man from Monday to Friday in the university, because somehow he would be needed in the office for whatever reason could be made of, every fucking day. He had to be grateful that his classes were only for four days, that meant that he had all of his time away from the man from Saturday to Sunday, working full-time.

However, guess what? Luck was not in his favor in this life. Why? Because somehow, the man was a regular customer at where he worked.

There was one time when he took off from work on Sunday and went to refreshing alone at the local mall. When he was trying to choose which clothes he was about to buy, someone had tapped him on his shoulder.

"Uzumaki, what a coincidence to meet you here." He said, as calmly and composed as he looked.

Naruto being Naruto, without thinking that they were in the public, he stupidly pointed his finger accusingly on the man and yelled, "You followed me!" and thank god because of his sudden outburst, everyone looked at them ridiculously. Naruto was fuming and Sasuke was calmed, with only his eyebrow shot up and his trademark smirk on, and in an instant, everyone started whispering, and looked at Naruto like he was crazy. People judge a book by its cover, so did they judge Naruto. Yes, because if you were sane enough, you could simply judge who was the idiot and who was not. So, whenever the two "coincidentally" meet in the public area, Naruto would try his best to just avoid the man or just shut up when he came in contact with him.

So, maybe shudder was his regular response when someone tapped him by now because of trauma, Naruto wasn't sure. It had been a routine for Naruto so he didn't do his outburst again. Because one, the man would always win with his clever response, and two he already had had enough of people whispering about him being stupid. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER, grr...

"Onigiri and green tea for two, please."

It was Saturday at lunchtime and Naruto was on duty, serving people and the man, under the name of Sasuke Uchiha, happened to be their loyal customer. So this time there would be no "what a coincidence meeting you here" crap. The guy always had excuses up his sleeves to meet just to annoy the hell out of him, no? Did the Uchiha somehow have spies around him? Naruto scanned his surrounding and shuddered. Fucker...

Naruto grinned. "Right away, Uchiha-sensei!" No matter how much he hated the guy for always making fun, perhaps, on him, somehow he found it always entertaining bickering with him, and he didn't know why.

Was he a masochist?

Naruto shook his head. What was he thinking? Just-

"Don't call me that outside of the university," Uchiha whispered.

What the hell with that tone? Grr... "Bastard."

"That neither," Sasuke said, making his way to sit on the far end of the restaurant.

"You are not my mom," Naruto interjected but followed his lecturer nonetheless.

"Why yes, I am not, Naruto..." Naruto unconsciously shuddered from that and he had to slap himself later. Did he just call him by his name?

"Do you need anything else?" Naruto asked the man after Sasuke took a seat.

"That's it for now."

"I will take your foods then." With that, Naruto bowed politely and strode off to retrieve the foods.

"I see..." Chouji snorted when Naruto came to him to place the order.

"What's so funny?" Because he was sure that Chouji was snorting because of him.

"You and your favorite lecturer. It's already Saturday, after all."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I don't see why I am his favorite when all he has done to me was torturing me."

"How is that torturing? Perhaps, you are too dense, Naruto..." Chouji said and Naruto was startled when the order was placed upon him.

"You are fast."

Chouji shrugged. "This is literally what I have been doing for years now."

"Thanks, chef!" with that, Naruto left with a tray of foods to his lecturer.

"Here's your order, please enjoy your time," Naruto said and bowed. But then when he was ready to leave, the Uchiha grabbed his hand and ordered,

"Sit with me." Since he had ordered two meals and he came alone.

It was Uchiha's way to ask to have lunch together with him. Naruto couldn't help but rolled his eyes. He sat nonetheless and joined the Uchiha eating. It was also like a routine to have lunch together on Saturday with the Uchiha. The owner of the restaurant, Iruka, knew about the routine so he let them be. And he should've known about it already. But well, Naruto was being his usual self. He would wait until the Uchiha ordered him, so he wouldn't make a fool of himself.

"So, how's life," Uchiha asked after he wiped his mouth with his napkin, already done eating.

Naruto downed his green tea and put the glass on the table, giving "what the hell" look to the Uchiha. "Are you crazy? We just met like yesterday, talking about stupid internship and you ask me about how's my life?" was the guy really that sucked when it came to a conversation?

"Hn."

See? "Now that you are done, you can go. I still have-"

"Have you prepared your stuff yet?" Grr... the guy just loved to cut other's speech, eh?

"Nope."

Uchiha raised his eyebrow. There usually was never something good coming after that. "What were you doing for these past twenty-four hours, Uzumaki?" See? And look, Uchiha had used the surname again!

"You see... before you decided to bother my life-"

"Correction: it's, helping you."

"-about internship and shit-"

"Watch your mouth."

"-I have to go back to check the unfinished design I was working on and it ended up hours. I went back home and immediately fell asleep, thank god I finished the assignment in time. The next morning, I had to prepare to go to the restaurant since Iruka was bugging me to no end so here I am, stuck in here and I haven't had the chance to pack my shits together just yet."

Uchiha shook his head and sighed with eyes closed. Grr... He was thinking I'm such an idiot, wasn't he?

"Then I will be going now," Uchiha said and put the bills on the table before he stood up. "Take the change and I will see you tomorrow."

Naruto nodded and stood up as well, he bowed to the Uchiha. The Uchiha nodded and left. The guy sure was an alien and Naruto was created to be a prophet to read him.

Was he too impolite to Uchiha?

Naruto rolled his eyes from his stupid thoughts and looked at the money on the table, he smiled. The tip Uchiha gave him was the price of eating onigiri and green tea for three lunch! Whatever.The guy was filthy rich to be worried about.

He took it and continued his duty of the day. He would make sure that after his work, he would start packing. What was he going to do after that?

Slacking off...

No matter how much he made sure of himself that he hated the Uchiha in any shape, way, or form, the guy wasn't so bad... It was just the constant insults and the teases that really somehow pissed him off, which was not so bad, right?

With a shrug, Naruto cleaned the table once again and went to the kitchen where his best friend, Sakura, was doing the dishes.

"Naruto. Now tell me what you were about to say to me before. You've promised." Sakura ordered as she continued her task in hand.

Naruto who was putting the plates very carefully on the metal table next to Sakura heaved a deep sigh. "You know how Uchiha. Yesterday he summoned me to his office and told me to have an internship in his company." After saying that, he heard a gasp and if he wasn't fast enough, they would be in deep trouble for breaking a plate.

"Woman, be careful!" He hissed. Geez, Sakura.

"I told you, he likes you!!"

"What the fuck? He was only asking me to have an internship, not proposing! Besides, if he really likes me, isn't it strange? If I liked someone, I would treat them well, not bullying them." Naruto reasoned as he put the plate Sakura had washed on the draining-board.

"Naruto. Everyone has their own way of showing their affection. And besides, Uchiha might show it by teasing you, not bullying!"

"Eh, it's the same thing," Naruto said, preferring to the teasing and bullying.

"You are in denial, Naruto."

Naruto shrugged.

"So, what's your answer?"

Naruto growled. "He said he doesn't take a no for an answer."

Sakura laughed. "So, when are you going to start?"

"This Monday. I also have something else to say but I think it's best not to tell you after all..."

"What is it? Spill, blondie."

Naruto bit his lips. "Promise me not to make any scene."

Sakura raised her eyebrow in confusion. "This must be something worth screaming." She said as she put down the plate she was working, fearing that she might actually end up breaking this one.

"Not that, too."

"Alright. I'll just bite the inside of my cheeks." Sakura took a deep breath. "Okay. I'm ready."

Naruto gave the woman a look, "woman, you are being exaggerated."

"Hurry!"

"Alright! He wanted me to pack my bags and live with him for the internship."

"HE WHAT?"

He knew it. "Woman! Keep down your volume!"

Iruka who heard them could only be rolling his eyes as he was already accustomed to the two's antics. "Keep it down, you two," Iruka called out.

"Sorry, Iruka!" Sakura called out. "No, I take it back that I said he likes you. He's gonna make you his wife!" Sakura yelled to Naruto under a whisper. Naruto was too naive to see for himself so she was there to make him see! It was too obvious!

"Woman, no! It's just an internship! And he got a point of saying that if we live together, it'd be much more convenient for both of us since I will be his assistant, after all. Also, I'm a man, it would make me as a husband, not a wife."

"And do you think it's right to call Uchiha as the wife?"

"Ugh, I don't know?"

"I know you can't picture it as much as I do!"

Naruto giggled mischievously.

"I know what you are thinking." Sakura giggled back.

"Imagine Uchiha being a mother with a stick shoved up his ass, his children might be suffering from his sadistic nature."

Sakura snorted. "For how long?"

Naruto shrugged. "Three months." He answered as he already knew what Sakura was referring to.

"I TOLD YOU!!"

"Woman!" There she was back again with that high notes.

Sakura was by now staring at Naruto deadpanned. She couldn't believe that this guy was too stupid for the obvious things like this to not notice. Sakura had had enough. She circled her right arm around Naruto's neck and began torturing him by using her left fist to drill through that thick skull of the blonde man. "You... Stupid..."

"Forgive me! Help!!! Sakura, stop!!!"

"Just promise me to call me, every damn night! You got it?"

"Yes! I promise! Please stop!"

"Guys..." Iruka called out the two lazily. Until then that the two stop playing around and continued their tasks.

~o0o~

Naruto was squatting on the floor in his bedroom, trying to fold some clothes to put them inside an orange luggage, and instantly fell on his butt when the door was being opened. He didn't like a ghost so for a moment he thought it was one when it was actually Sai.

"Geezus, Sai! You startled me!"

"What are you doing, Dickless? Moving out of the country? Just because I beat your ass the last time?"

"How did you-"

"Oh. Your door isn't locked."

"Damn it."

"You didn't answer my question."

"I'm packing."

"But you promised-"

"I did, but I forgot to tell you."

Naruto was silent again and continued his task. But he was growing suspicious when the pale man was not moving for a good five minutes. So he had to raise his head to look at the man, and instantly he regretted in doing so.

The man was supporting a puppy look.

"That trick is not gonna work on me, Sai."

"But you promised! Or are you afraid that your ego might be shattered to ashes if I beat your ass again?"

Naruto gave Sai a deadpan look, as the other man was wiggling his eyebrows ridiculously.

Naruto heaved a deep sigh. "Alright, just let me finish this packing shit and I will be beating your sorry-ass for sure! Don't go to your momma after this, got it?"

Now it was Sai's turn to give the man a deadpan look. But eventually, the pale man waited for him to finish. "I will just set the PS4 ready."

Naruto nodded absent-mindedly as Sai left the room.

When he was finished, to say that he wasn't surprised was an underestimated. There was not only Sai in his house. Sai was sitting on the carpeted floor in front of his TV, but there was Sakura who was sitting on the couch with her right foot up on the coffee table, polishing her nails. He knitted his eyebrows when a doorbell rang. Could it be the Uchiha's man? But it was still nine in the fucking Sunday morning!

"Let me take that."

"Kiba?" yeah, that guy had shown up out of the blue, or more likely from the kitchen.

"It's the pizza guy. I ordered some."

"What the fuck? I mean, I didn't invite anybody?"

"Well, I'm literally invited," Sai answered absent-mindedly as his eyes were glued to the screen, beating the enemies.

"I was just worried so I decided to invite myself to see you packing if you were about to forget about that, but Sai said that you were already doing your job so I choose to paint my nails," Sakura added in, still focusing on her nails.

Naruto watched the last person who was already holding three pizza boxes. "And what about you?"

Kiba put the boxes near Sakura's foot and shrugged. "Just feel like it."

"What the fu, I'm about to leave, guys!" Naruto demand.

"Leave to where?" Sai asked.

"He's going to live with his favorite lecturer," Sakura answered.

"Well, that was quick," Kiba added in, proceeding to get a bottle of cola inside the refrigerator.

"Quick what?"

"So, duck-butt has already developed his gameplay, I see," Sai commented.

"Guys!" Naruto complained.

Sakura stood up, finished with the nail polish. "I'm gonna check what you packed." She said as she proceeded to go to Naruto's room.

"You don't want to eat the pizza first, woman?" Kiba questioned Sakura.

Sakura just waved her hand."Just make sure to not let Naruto eat all of them."

"Come on, Dickless. You've promised me millions of times."

Naruto admitted defeat and went to the pizza and dig in. "Let me just put something inside this hell-hole I called my tummy."

"More like a black-hole." Kiba shrugged, and the two grinned at each other before they high-fiving.

"So, when are you going to go?" Kiba asked when Naruto snatch his coke away from him.

Naruto gulped the liquid before he handed the bottle back to Kiba. "I'm not sure, Uchiha just said that he would be calling me fifteen minutes before his man drop by."

"What's up with the moving out?"

Naruto shrugged as he proceeded to get himself another slice of pizza. "Internship. That day when you said that he needed me in his office? He ordered me to have an internship in his company?"

"Dickless, that's a hell of an opportunity. Take it."

"Can't reject it when there's no option to."

"Why is that?"

"Uchiha takes no for an answer."

"Ohhh... Nobody in their right mind to reject an Uchiha."

"Well, Naruto is a perfect example..."

"Guys..."

"Okay, I'm done," Sakura announced after she was back from her inspection.

"Woman, what did you do?"

"Nothing. You are ready to go." Sakura smiled, which Naruto was suspicious about but decided to just drop the topic and continue to eat his pizza.

"Hurry, Dickless. Don't make any excuses. Get your ass here and face it like a man."

There was something nagging in his mind but he just couldn't grasp what could that be. Naruto sighed and did as he was told.

If it was possible, he would throw his face off of his head. That day before they left, his ass was once again being beaten by Sai.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need your feedbacks, I demand feedbacks! LOL

The time finally came and Naruto had packed up all of his belongings that he thought were necessary to bring. He had already changed, ready to leave at any moment, and his self-esteem was as low as his... He didn't know what, but! Thanks to Sai for beating his ass, in a result that his mood was not so good. He was sure that the guy was cheating! He just didn't have the proof, too bad.

Naruto looked at the clock that was hanging across the wall. It was already five in the evening. Uchiha had said before however that he would call fifteen minutes before his man picked him up. So thinking that he still had some time before he left, he chose to eat his ramen leisurely on his sofa while watching his favorite TV show about ninja, Menma. Even though he had already eaten about a box of pizza, it seemed that that wasn't enough. The fact that even his friends agreed on calling his stomach a hell-hole had a reason behind it and not to be underestimated.

Naruto was slurping happily he was practically humming to the opening song of the said-show that was playing on the screen. He'd just buy the DVD yesterday after his job ended because he was sure that he would miss the entire season of the show while he was on the internship. He doubted he would watch TV when living with the Uchiha.

He heaved a deep sigh of breath when the noodles were still hanging from his mouth, thinking of what he had let himself into. He slurped the remaining noodles and drank the remaining soup down his throat when his phone vibrated. It startled him, he choked the soup. He went to throw the empty cup of his ramen and went to retrieve his milk inside the refrigerator to drink it. He'd strangle whoever was calling him!

The phone eventually stopped vibrating from his pocket. He cursed and fished his phone out. When the device was on his hand, it vibrated again. For a moment he thought that he almost died of a heart attack.

The screen was showing "Alien is calling."

It was Uchiha.

"I want to curse so bad at you for almost killing me twice today."

"..."

Naruto deadpanned. He was sure that he almost could hear the guy rolling his eyes. He was sure what the guy would say next.

"Dobe..." The two said in unison.

"A guy with orange hair is in front of your dungeon. Let him help you take away your luggage or whatever you are bringing to the car."

"But you said you'd give me further notice fifteen minutes before your man picking me up!"

"I change my mind."

Fucking- Naruto sighed. "Alright. I'll see you-"

"Don't cut the line just yet until I tell you to. Now put this call on your earphone and I will give you orders."

Naruto nodded which he was aware that the other line wouldn't see him. He almost slapped his forehead but decided against it and did as he was told. "Alright, done. What do you want me to do?"

"Open the door first and let Juugo take care of your belongings."

Naruto nodded again and shook his head after remembering his mistake.

"Tell me when you are already inside the car."

"Okay." He smiled and almost tap his shoulder to congratulate himself for not nodding this time.

He did as he was told. He opened the door and there was a big guy as Uchiha had mentioned.

"Hello."

"Uzumaki-san. I will take your bags." The man bowed and proceeded to take the bags.

"No, it's okay. I can-"

"Uzumaki, let him do his job. He wasn't paid for nothing."

Juugo smiled when he saw Naruto's defeated expression and started taking Naruto's bags. Naruto followed Juugo behind and the two were met with an SSUV Lambo.

"Don't you think you are being exaggerating?" Naruto said absent-mindedly in awe, seeing the nice black car in front of him.

"About what exactly?" Uchiha asked.

Naruto shrugged and entered the car when Juugo opened the door for him. In the process, Naruto rolled his eyes as he situated himself to sit inside the sleek car. "Do you do this often to people? Your girlfriend must be happy." He muttered absent-mindedly as he made himself comfortable.

"I don't. But, do you like it then?"

"I feel like a girl, but well, Sakura is an exception. She can do the things sometimes I can't do, like watching horror movie."

"Hn."

"Okay." Naruto tried to ignore that he was just blabbering. Stupid Uchiha for not letting him end the phone call. "I'm already inside your car."

"Uzumaki-san, here's something Uchiha-sama wants me to give you."

"Sensei, what is this?" Naruto took the white envelope Juugo gave to him and began suspecting it.

"Open it and read them. Juugo will drive you to your destination. I will see you soon."

"Wait-"

But the line already went dead.

Naruto sighed and started opening the envelope.

He was surprised that inside there was a card and a note. The card was Uchiha's credit card, and the note had six digits of number (010414) written on it, Naruto assumed as the card's pin code, and what appeared to be a list of...

"Are we going groceries?" Naruto asked the driver.

"We are heading to the groceries store."

Naruto slapped his face.

Uchiha just ordered him to do groceries.

Naruto stare at the neat handwriting. The man was too perfect. He admitted that the man was handsome, hell, the word handsome was too underestimating him. He was gorgeous even. He had a great job, good-looking, wealthy, and even his handwriting. Too bad that the guy had this stick shoved up his ass, ha!

010414... What could it be? Naruto's card's pin was his birthdate backward. So this must be a date, if he were to assume. First of April, 2014?

"Umm... Does Uchiha have a kid or something?"

"Hmm? For as long as I know, he doesn't have any. He's single."

Too much information! Naruto nodded. Perhaps a pet's birthdate? "What about a pet?"

"He does have one."

Uchiha have a pet? Dog? Dog wasn't Uchiha's style. Cat? Uchiha could look like a cat sometimes but... "Cat?"

Juugo shook his head. "I believe it's an indigo snake, purple. The name is Manda."

I should've known it... "Umm... Do you know when he got that snake?"

"If I'm not mistaken, it's from 2010."

Then it must not the pet. Then what is it? Or was it just random numbers? Naruto shook his head. To hell with it. He'll just focus on what's coming.

What's the list again?

**~o0o~**

When Naruto arrived, he suspected the Uchiha's apartment door. It had complicated carving on it, it was too majestic for his eyes, god, have mercy on him! He shook his head and began looking for a doorbell and pressed it three times after finally found one. Three rings took for the majestic door to open.

It was an understatement if Naruto wasn't surprised upon landing his eyes on his lecturer. The usually neat-looking man was now being presented in front of him with only a black shirt to show muscles, toned body, and a sweat black pants to compliment.

Naruto sighed. "Groceries, seriously?"

Uchiha smirked. "Because you are going too cook the dinner." He said and started moving out of the way and both Juugo and Naruto entered the apartment.

Naruto stared at Juugo who was carrying his luggage away. "Where is he bringing my luggage to?" He asked after Juugo disappeared.

"In your room. Now come follow me."

Naruto did as he was told and they arrived at the spacious kitchen. Naruto was left in aw from the interior. No doubt about his lecturer. The title as one of the million-dollar decorator was not a joke.

"You don't even know if I can cook or not." Naruto said after he put the groceries on top of the kitchen island.

"I might have known about you more than you've ever known about yourself."

That gave Naruto a very disturbing area as he began scanning the room. "Are you putting spies around me?"

Uchiha rolled his eyes. "Konoha chef went absent one day and you proposed to cook. I came to order my favorite food and it turned out great."

Naruto shrugged.

Maybe Uchiha knew about him more than he knew about himself more.

Naruto started cooking and Sasuke started watching by sitting on the stool. "We are going to the company tomorrow at nine. We will have our first client on ten. In the meantime, we would be discussing about our role."

"Why tomorrow? We could discuss about it now since we have the time."

"I haven't received our client's proposal just yet."

Naruto nodded, multi-tasking by talking to the Uchiha and cooking.

"Why me?" Naruto asked suddenly.

"Hmm? Why you what?"

Naruto shrugged again. "Of all the students in our class, why me?"

Uchiha was silent for a moment, he thought that Uchiha wasn't going to answer.

"You are... tolerable."

Naruto pouted. "Do you have a bubble gum?"

Sasuke raised his eyebrow in confusion. What's with the sudden change of the topic? "I don't. Why?"

Naruto started sniffling.

"Naruto?" Sasuke suddenly was concerned. Why did he cry? Did he just cross a line?

Naruto shook his head. "Nah... The onions... I read somewhere that if you want to cut the onion without shedding tears, just chew some bubble gums."

Sasuke didn't realize that he was holding his breath, he had to close his eyes and sighed in relief. "I guess you should hold on to that until you finished."

Naruto shrugged. "I don't have a choice."

Sasuke nodded. "I have something to say."

"Spill, sensei. I'm all ears."

"Just call me Sasuke."

Naruto raised his head to look Uchiha in the eyes. "I can't do that. You are my teacher, and I'm your student."

"You are going to be my assistant, and we will be working together, side by side, not teaching studying. We will be working, outside of the university. I will be needing your ideas, and we will share them. So let's just drop the formality. I'll be calling you by your first name, too."

"Sensei, I think I can't do that. You are practically my teacher."

"We are only three years apart."

"Calling you by your first name would mean that I will be going informal on you. It's like you gave me the privilege to."

"You are already informal outside of the university, especially in Konoha."

"Sensei, I haven't curse at you yet."

"Yesterday you called _bastard._ "

"..."

"And about a week ago on Tuesday, in my office, you cursed at me."

"Huh?"

"Do you think that I can't hear your curses for these past few years when I lectured you?"

"Just answer me then. Do you mind me being informal to you?"

"I don't honestly care about that. I have already accustomed by that already."

Naruto sighed. "Pass me the bowl then, Sasuke."

Sasuke could only smirk and stood up to get Naruto his bowl.

Naruto shook his head. "So?"

"So what?" Sasuke came back with the bowl in hand and gave it to Naruto before he sat back on the kitchen stool again.

"You told me before that you wanted to say something." Naruto said after he got the bowl and say thanks.

"I already did."

"Calling you by your first name?" Naruto got the onions he already cut and put them inside the bowl.

"Yes."

Naruto groaned. "So much for calling you by your first name."

"Do you like being questioned?" Sasuke asked and told Naruto to pass him an apple.

Naruto did pass the apple after he washed it. "Do you want to know something?"

"How many languages do you know?" Sasuke asked before he ate the first bite of the apple.

"How did you know I know other languages beside Japanese, Sen-, I mean, Sasuke?" From there on Naruto continued multi-tasking by cooking and talked with Sasuke.

"I saw your report."

"Hmm..." Naruto nodded. "Let's see... Japanese, my mother language. English, literally my second language, thanks to my godfather. Deutch, and Chinese."

"How do you learn them?"

Naruto shrugged. "Godfather, Jiraiya is a writer. Kakashi-sensei is a fan of his books. When I was small, we travelled a lot. I moved schools from one country to another."

Sasuke nodded. "You are a fast learner."

Naruto smiled. "Why are you asking, anyway?"

"Because we will be handling clients not only in Japan, but all around the world. Hell, mostly our clients are outside of Japan."

Naruto stared Sasuke in pure astonishment. "Can I ask you a question? Or maybe a couple."

Sasuke nodded. "Shoot."

"We all know that you are one of the infamous million-dollar decorators in the country. You could earn more than enough money just by being one. Why are you become a lecturer?"

"Good question. I didn't plan on becoming a lecturer, honestly. But I happen to have a big brother who is such a pain in the ass. He was the one who made me to become one. But I guess becoming a lecturer wasn't so bad after all."

"Any reason why? And why are you agreeing?"

"I guess you can say that I'm not good when it comes to socializing with people when my work is to deal with them,"

"Yes, I agree to that." Because you are sucked, Naruto thought drily.

"So my brother came with a plan on me becoming a lecturer. He said that so I can deal with people and can learn how to test my patient."

That's interesting idea. "For how long?"

"Four years."

"Oh? So this year makes it as your final year?"

Sasuke nodded. "I entered the university the same day as you."

"When are you going to retire?"

"The same day as you graduate."

"Hmm..."

Sasuke inhaled. "Smells good. I love it."

Naruto grinned. "We will be ready soon."

The two continued to chit-chat and eventually ate their dinner.

Naruto had to wash the dishes, too.

"Go to sleep after that. I expect you to be ready at eight sharp." Sasuke ordered and stood up. "The foods are delicious. I love them." And he left.

Naruto who was doing the dishes, thanked whoever deities up there who could listen to him, that at the time Sasuke gave him a compliment, his back was facing the man so Sasuke couldn't see his red face.

**~o0o~**

"Guess what happen!"

He was now in a phone call with Sakura. He had forgotten to call, and Sakura unfortunately remembered. Eventually Sakura was the one to make the phone call.

"I'll hunt your sorry-ass down if you forget again to call."

Naruto sighed. His trick on cutting the greetings failed miserably. He thought that by just saying those words would ease Sakura's wrath. "Just guess what happened."

"What?"

"Uchiha just ordered me to cook dinner, and he even made me do the groceries!"

There was a gasp, "He is testing the water."

Naruto raised his blonde brow. "Water what?"

"Naruto, I can't believe you're actually this dense."

"Woman, I'm not a girl. I don't suppose to know this thing you called signals."

"Foxy, I am a boy but I know when someone likes me."

Naruto let go of his phone and stared it ridiculously for a good five seconds before he put it back against his ear. "Kiba? What the fuck, Sakura? Also, Kiba, you read the signals too far."

He could almost hear the two rolling their eyes. "Don't tell me there is Sai there."

"It's just the two of us." Sakura supported his guess. "Kiba comes by to borrow my DVD, said that he wants to watch it with Hinata."

"What genre?"

"Horror."

"She's not gonna hug you tighter just because you trick her to watch horror, mutt."

"At least I'm not dense like you."

This time Naruto was the one to roll his eyes. "It's because you were the one who chased her until she actually got tired of it and gave up by agreeing to go out with you."

There was a woman's laughter presumably Sakura.

"Anyway, we are far away from our current topic. Answer me, what water?"

"If you are capable to be his wife, you idiot!" Sakura barked. "I can't believe I am a friend of three males with strange personalities."

"But you like it, woman." Kiba commented in.

"Where's Sai, by the way?" Naruto asked.

"He said that he needed to upgrade his skills in video games." Kiba answered.

"Okay, I might be dense, Kiba smells like a mutt,"

"Hey!"

"-and Sai is..."

"Out of the world."

The three of them nodded in unison.

"Alright guys, I need to unpack my stuff and go to sleep. I have my first client first thing in the morning. I'll call you tomorrow."

"We are not finished, Uzumaki."

Naruto pouted. "What do you want to know then? His man picked me up at five, and he gave me his credit card and his pin, and a list of things I supposed to buy for dinner."

"And who cooked the dinner?" Kiba asked.

"I told you before that I cooked dinner."

"I forgot. But, if you were the one who cooked the dinner, then how did he know you knew how to cook?"

"He saw him cooked at Konoha a couple of times." Sakura answered.

"Hmm... Does he like your cooking?" Kiba asked again, and for a moment Naruto felt like he was being interrogated.

"Who doesn't?"

The three snorted.

"At when are you going to the company?" Sakura asked.

"Uchiha said that we will be off at eight-thirty so we can arrive at nine sharp. We have my first client at ten."

"It's already eleven, you should go to sleep."

Naruto nodded, but he immediately realized his mistake, he had to slap his face.

The two couldn't see him. "Will do."

"Good night, foxy."

"Good night, you two!" Naruto smiled.

And the line went dead.

He couldn't wait for tomorrow!

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AN (MUST READ): In this chapter, let's pretend that all of the conversation here is in Japanese. I will be using Italic as the font to let the reader know if the conversation has changed into English and the font is normal if it's in Japanese.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that this story only focused on Sasuke and Naruto's relationship, not the actual internship so I won't be discussing the whole decorating into specific. Remember that this internship is just the background.

Naruto woke up at six. Strangely enough, he fell asleep the time his head touched the pillow. The bed Naruto was sleeping on was one hell of a bed. It was so comfy, fluffy, and big. King sized bed! He had dreamless night, and it was a good night sleep he had ever had since forever. It's only a night but he already liked it. Did Sasuke buy a brand new bed? Or the bed might be untouched by any other people except him, for he didn't know.

Because of a good night sleep, he felt like making breakfast. So the first thing he did was doing his morning routine by brushing his teeth and wash his face. After that, he flew immediately to the kitchen, his favorite place after his room.

By the time Sasuke woke up thirty minutes later, the breakfast had already been cooked.

"I haven't had someone cooked me a breakfast since forever," Sasuke commented in as he situated himself on the kitchen stool he sat last night.

"Who cooked your breakfast the last time for you?"

Sasuke shrugged. "The lady at the hotel back when I had a trip to Osaka."

Naruto grinned. "You should dig in and tell me who made the best breakfast."

Sasuke smirked. "You liked being complimented, huh?"

Naruto turned red and decided to not respond to that since he didn't believe in his own voice. He would stammer if he forced to give a comeback.

"Just kidding. Now eat the breakfast. We don't have all the time."

Naruto nodded and did as he was told. The two ate their breakfast in silence. Silence because Sasuke liked being silent, and silence because Naruto was still embarrassed.

**~o0o~**

"What should I wear? Do I have to wear a suit or?" Naruto asked his lecturer after they had done eating their breakfast, ready to go back to their room.

Sasuke shook his head. "Just wear something presentable, like you always wear to the university."

Naruto nodded and the two parted their ways to their own room. For some reasons, he was confident with his wardrobes. Orange wasn't a great color for men, but some people had complimented him that he was an exception to that. With a smile, he nodded his head in confirmation and headed straight to the bathroom after he arrived in his room.

In no time he was finished with his shower. He put two towels on him, one around his hips and the other around his neck to dry his hair. While doing so, he stared at his luggage. He hadn't opened it yet. Yesterday after he finished having a conversation with Sakura and Kiba, he went straight to his bed. He didn't expect the bed to be so comfortable, the time his head made an impact with the pillow, he already had his eyes closed and a smile. In no time he fell asleep, and the luggage was fast forgotten.

With a sigh, he walked leisurely to the orange luggage that was situated on the floor near the bed. He squatted and began opening it. Just when he had successfully opened the luggage, something fell from it and the -what seemed to be a small bottle- rolled away to the floor. He had to pick up and suspected it and in an instant, his face heated up.

"Fucking Sakura..."

It was a fucking lube. He swore that his face could rival the color of a reaped tomato, it would be put in shame.

Naruto was suspicious as he opened the luggage to reveal not only it was a bottle, but there were three of them. It was just that a bottle that had fallen from it, and the others were sitting carefully in the middle of the folded clothes, which were accompanied by some boxes of condoms.

The strange feeling that he felt when Sakura had gotten back from her inspection on his luggage was actually this.

"Fuck..." Naruto groaned and he had to hide his face in hope that he could subside the embarrassment he felt. Damn his imagination! He was actually beginning to imagine having sex with his...

Naruto fell on his butt when there were three knocks on his door which was followed by his lecturer's voice calling his name.

"Naruto, are you finished yet?"

"Sensei, can I-"

"I told you to call me-"

"-scream?"

"-Sasu- what?"

He screamed.

"Naruto, what the fuck?"

"Nothing! I will be in the living room in five minutes!"

He could hear Sasuke rolling his eyes.

"Just... Hurry up."

With that, he stood up and put the embarrassing stuff on his bed and began rummaging his clothes for a suitable one.

_This is gonna be very a long day..._

**~o0o~**

They were already in a car heading to the company. Naruto couldn't really look Sasuke in the eyes after what had happened in his room. He couldn't help thinking about _things_ about his lecturer.

Sakura's gonna be damned.

"Naruto."

"Yes, sensei..."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Stop calling me sensei, I told you about that."

Naruto sighed. "I'm sorry," He was hesitated at first but eventually he said it, "Sasuke..." He did it. "I just need sometimes you know... I have known you for over four years now and all of that time I referred you and called you as my sensei. And suddenly to call you by your first name is very strange to me."

"Just think that we are a partner now, and outside of the university."

Naruto nodded. "I will be having troubles for a couple of times but I will try to get used to it."

Sasuke nodded back. "I have a few questions. Why did you scream before?"

Naruto went red again. "I uh... found something... weird, is all..."

Sasuke raised his eyebrow. "What's with the stuttering?"

"Nothing to be worried about!" Naruto laughed awkwardly at Sasuke, even though he still refused to see the man in the eyes.

"Second question. You haven't met my eyes while talking after that. Why is that?"

"I'm just..." Naruto paused before he whispered. "Embarrassed?" How he hoped that Sasuke would just drop the conversation there.

"Of what?"

Damn it.

"Secret?"

Sasuke didn't respond to that, and Naruto was somehow grateful for that. After a good three minutes, Naruto became curious about his lecturer's silence.

"Sen-, I mean, Sasuke?"

"Hn?"

"Why weren't you... pushing the conversation when I said it was a... secret?"

Sasuke shrugged. "If someone chooses to stay silent about things, I won't push it. If someone wants to talk, they will actually talk about it."

Naruto hummed in understanding. "That's kinda... cool, actually." He had to admit about it.

"Hn. We almost arrive."

**~o0o~**

"We need to walk side by side, so keep up with me," Sasuke ordered and Naruto could only nod.

The two men walked down the hall of the mega-building of Uchiha Group. Naruto noticed that when people landed eyes on Sasuke, they would instantly bow and he would just nod back in acknowledge. Naruto assumed that Sasuke was respected person in this company.

"By the way, Se-" Naruto shook his head when he realized his mistake and tried again. "I mean, Sasuke, I feel like I'm out of this world."

"And why is that?"

"Our outfit."

Sasuke stopped to suspect his partner's outfit and raised his eyebrow. "Despite orange is an annoying color to my eyes, you pulled it off perfectly, I have to admit it. So I don't see why you are out of this world."

Naruto shook his head. "No, not that. I know orange is an amazing color but, look at me, I only wear a fucking orange t-shirt with fucking black Bermuda pants!"

Sasuke sighed. "Idiot, the time you exited your room, I have already approved your choice of clothing, thus the lack of insult."

"Not that, too!"

"Then what is it?" Sasuke was growing impatient by now.

"I mean, look at you! You are practically wearing a fucking vest!"

Sasuke shrugged finding there's no big deal with that and continued walking.

"And almost everyone is wearing a suit!"

"Almost."

"I can't count the security guards, can I?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and push a button to the 15th floor when they arrived inside of the elevator. "You are good looking enough to complain about that something so trivial like that."

"Huh?"

"Where's your usual confidence going to, vacation?"

Naruto wanted to retort back but decided against it. The argument was useless from the beginning. He heaved a deep sigh. He looked up and saw their reflection on the metal wall and instantly had to put his head back down. He thought that his face had turned red. Sasuke had complimented him twice already and it was still nine in the morning. Naruto then looked up again and narrowed his eyes to look at Sasuke's eyes from the reflection.

"What," Sasuke stated in confusion.

"Nothing."

The two fell silent through their ride up the 15th floor.

"I don't think I'm presentable right now, Sasuke." Naruto voiced his thoughts when they entered the said floor after the younger man scanned the quite-busy area.

"Where has your confidence gone to?"

Naruto shrugged. "Drained in the sink this morning."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and he made a stop. Naruto followed suit.

"Karin, any news about the client?"

Naruto saw the girl Sasuke had addresses to whom he guessed as Karin, wearing a suit just like everybody else excepted him, raised her head up to see at Sasuke. She immediately stood up and bowed her head in respect. She took a red file that was situated upside her table and gave it to Sasuke. "Good morning, Uchiha-sama, Uzumaki-sama. That's the file of our client that was submitted a week ago. All information is inside."

Hearing that, Naruto was quite taken aback. How did people know? It's not even a day yet...

"Let's go, idiot." Sasuke led Naruto to a room of what Naruto thought as the man's office.

"But, how did she- damn..." Naruto murmured as he scanned the interior of the office. What he wanted to ask before was gone in an instant upon landing his eyes on the interior. No doubt that the man was a million-dollar decorator. "No doubt I had to sell my kidney if I were to break something here."

Sasuke smirked. "About my secretary, Karin, and everyone else in this office. They should probably know your name and what you are to me by now."

"Oh! That, yeah, how? I mean, I'm not even five minutes in here and yet-"

"There is this thing called e-mail."

"There is no way they would know who I am unless you sent them my photo."

"I did."

"Damn it."

Sasuke smirked again and went to sit on the sofa, and ordered Naruto to do the same.

"This is a file of our client, your first client. We will be meeting them at ten, so we have about an hour to discuss this. But before we start reviewing this file, I need you to know that you are going to be my assistant. I don't really like talking to someone I don't know, so you will do that for me the whole time, unless if you don't know something, you can ask me and tell her, got it?"

Naruto grinned and nodded in understanding.

"Alright, let's see. Our first client is a woman from the United States. That's great because you can speak English."

Naruto nodded while also reading the same file Sasuke was reviewing.

"It seems like she will be doing a business in Japan, a bar located in Shinjuku, and she trusted Uchiha Group to design the interior for her. We will be asking the further question when she arrived in here. We will be meeting her in the meeting room." Sasuke finished by closing the file down to the coffee table.

Naruto raised his eyebrow in confusion. "That's it?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"Oh my god, you could've-"

"Told you yesterday night? I told you, neither did I have any idea about our client."

"A bar, very informative," Naruto commented sarcastically.

"Thank god it's only a bar. What if it's a musical theater?"

"Eh, easy."

"Headmaster's office?"

"Huh? What the fuck?"

"That's why you need to shut up. You still have so much to learn."

Naruto groaned. "Whatever you say. Now we have like fifty minutes to kill before the meeting."

"Do you have any idea what to do?"

"Honestly? Play a game."

Sasuke raised his eyebrow. "What game?"

"Hmm... Let's see. Truth or dare?"

"Not gonna happen."

"Then what?"

"Truth or truth."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "More likely interviewing."

"I'll go first. What's your favorite food?"

Naruto smiled. "Ramen. Now it's my turn. Do you have a girlfriend or wife or partner or something?"

Sasuke smirked. "No. Why asking that?"

"Just curious. My turn. Is there any meaning of your credit card's pin numbers?

"Yes. And how did you know how to cook?"

"Hmm... How did I know how to cook? Well, you see, I like eating and love watching a cooking show on TV, and since I live mostly by myself, I was forced to cook. Grandma Tsunade taught me how to cook and I'm just a natural."

Sasuke nodded at the information. "Your turn."

Naruto nodded back. "What's the reason behind your pin number?"

"It's a secret and why asking?"

"Honestly, it's just because I suspected that they were a specific date. That's why I asked if you have significant other. I just guessed that maybe that's the date you and your significant other became a couple or something." Naruto shrugged.

Sasuke nodded. "You will find out when the time comes."

The two continued their little game and found out that Sasuke liked tomatoes, which was kind of obvious with the last groceries list, what with the enormous amount of that fruit to buy, so... yeah. Also, Sasuke got to know that Naruto once wanted to be a chef because of his obsession with cooking.

There were three knocks and Karin entered the room after Sasuke said her to come in.

"Sir, the client has arrived at the meeting room." She bowed and the two men stood up, ready to leave.

"Remember what I said before," Sasuke told Naruto and got a reply with a nod.

"Hold on. I need to go to the restroom. You go meet her first and get to know her. Karin, show him the room."

Naruto nodded and went to the meeting room with Karin, but she left after that.

Eventually, Naruto entered the room after taking a deep breath to subside his nervousness.

 **~o0o~** Enter the _English_ – Japanese conversation **~o0o~**

To say that Naruto wasn't surprised was an understatement.

His first client was his friend back in the States, Ino Yamanaka.

 _"For sure I never thought that of all people you would be my first client,"_ Naruto said in fluent English, a smile was plastered on his face.

The two were long-time friends. They met in States and had clicked it off ever since. They eventually continued skyping after Naruto came back to Japan, Ino said that she didn't want to lose contact with him.

"Naruto?" There was a gasp, a squeal, and a bear hug from the woman to the apprentice. _"Oh my god, it's good to see you! Don't you think the world is so small?"_ She said with a smile after the hug, without forgetting to give a peck on Naruto's cheek.

 _"I know, right? You should've told me if you were coming to Japan, you know. I could show you around."_ Naruto said, still smiling.

Ino smiled back. _"I'm so sorry. It's too sudden. My dad plans on opening a bar in here and I was sent to take care of the decoration. Speaking of which, are you going to be my decorator?"_

Naruto shook his head. _"I'm an apprentice. I am an assistant of your decorator. He is now in a restroom, and he told me to get to know you first. To think that we can actually skip that part."_

 _"Yeah, you are right."_ Ino laughed.

_"Anyway, I just want you to know that I will be doing the talking."_

Ino raised her eyebrow. _"Why is that? Too cool to speak?"_

Naruto shook his head. _"I think that he can't speak English?"_

 _"Really? The more reason to talk shit behind him if he was an ass, or! In front of him without knowing."_ Ino laughed demonically. For a moment Sakura's face flashed before his eyes. 'These two could make a perfect combo', Naruto thought drily.

Naruto laughed back when the door opened.

Upon entering, Sasuke nodded to the two and made his way to the woman and grab her hand in a firm shake. He then signaled the two blondes to sit down as well.

 _"He can't fucking speak in English, let alone understand, right?"_ Ino asked with a smile toward Naruto.

Naruto forced a smile. He had to think fast. "She said that thanks for having her."

Sasuke nodded. "Thanks for choosing us."

_"He said thanks for choosing us. And why if he doesn't understand?"_

_"He is fucking gorgeous, Naruto! How the fuck did you get yourself into? How the fuck did you become his assistant?"_

Damn it. "She said that Japan's weather is nice and she wants to open a bar in here, perfect."

"Ask her what kind of theme does she want?"

Not a bullshit type of a guy, always wanted to go on point, Naruto thought, almost rolling his eyes.

_"He said that what kind of theme do you want? Also, he is my lecturer back at university and he was the one who proposed me to become his assistant."_

_"You are one hell of a lucky motherfucker, don't you know that? And anyway, I want to have a kind of modern and clean look for my bar. The rest is up to you guys."_

"She said that she wants a modern and clean look and the rest is up to us."

Sasuke nodded. "We will be surveying the place first. Tell her we have to gain full access to the bar during the decoration."

Naruto nodded back. _"He said that we will be surveying the place first and you have to give us full access to the bar during the decoration from the start until finish."_

Ino smiled. _"Get him to your fucking bed and let him screw you before anybody else would. Clearly, he likes you. Look at how he has been staring at you throughout the meeting. It's like he's been undressing you with his eyes. Oh my god has mercy on our eyes, Naruto this is your chance of a lifetime. And about full access, here are the keys."_ Ino finished with fishing the keys out from her bag to put them on top of the table.

In an instant, Naruto went red. "She said that we can, uh... do whatever we want, including the full access to the bar."

Sasuke raised his eyebrow, never breaking eye contact with him. Perhaps what Ino had said before about Sasuke staring at him the whole time was right? "That's... it? I thought she spoke longer than that? And, why are you turning red all of a sudden?"

"Uh," Think, Naruto... "She was just blabbering. That's the short version. And, I don't know what you are talking about." He finished his reasoning with a nod, just to reassure him that he was saved while doing so, he started fanning himself with his hand to reduce the heat. Why did the room become hot all of a sudden?

"Ask her if she wants anything else. When does she want us to start?"

_"Do you want anything else? Like details or something? When do you want us to start? Also, stop talking nonsense, look at my face, I'm burning from embarrassment."_

_"I just want you to call me maybe? And tell me if you already get him on your bed. Also, you can even start today, whatever suits you guys."_ Ino finished with a smile.

"She said that she doesn't need anything as she has trusted us to do the job and we can start whenever we wanted."

Sasuke nodded and the three stood up in unison.

_"I have already handed the keys, if you guys need anything else, just call me."_

"She said that if we need anything just call her."

Sasuke nodded again. "Will do."

 _"I will take my leave now. It's a pleasure meeting you guys."_ Ino finished and Naruto translated them as well. But before she left, she shook her hand with Sasuke first and Naruto last but not least leaving a peck on his cheek and a hug. "Good luck with the gorgeous man, Naruto."

The look Sasuke gave on the woman went unnoticed by Naruto.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are appreciated as they are my mood-booster to write more. I demand you to leave comments!! 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clearly Naruto is too oblivious on certain things, or he might just trying his best to ignore what other people think of his relationship with Sasuke. He needs to pay extra attention to some matters, so he was ordered from Sasuke himself to be more "sensitive" on his surroundings.

That same day, the two went straight to the empty bar to survey the place after they had their lunch together.

There was something Naruto had noticed though... Sasuke had become strange after the meeting. "Can I ask you something?" He asked. He just didn't want to keep wondering why the man was strange.

"What is it?"

"Umm... You have been smiling the whole time after the meeting. Any reason behind it?" Sasuke would very unlikely to smile. Something that would come close to that was the infamous smirking. Even the smirks would only happen when the man just finished insulting him.

Sasuke shrugged, but still smiling absent-mindedly while wondering the empty spacious bar, with Naruto obediently following behind. "Am I now?"

"Well, that's kind of strange, you know?" Perhaps his lecturer had taken a liking to their first client? For some strange reason, the very thought made his heart clench. Jealousy? Maybe...

People had been saying that the Uchiha liked him, but then thinking about the same man liked someone else gave a strange feeling inside him to spark. "Ugh, you know, our first client, did you know her name?"

Sasuke hearing that eventually stopped and for once he focused his attention on Naruto. "What about her?" The smile had eventually gone now.

"I ugh... you know, I actually am a friend with her, quite close even." Naruto finished with a nod.

"And?" Sasuke stared at Naruto dead in the eyes, crossing his arms.

"You, ugh... I have noticed that after the meeting, you have been, um, smiling the whole time until now. Perhaps that you, ugh... like her? I mean, not my business but, given that she is my friend, I can actually hook you up with her and-"

"Naruto."

"Ah, sorry."

"Why are you so concern about my love life?" Uchiha raised his eyebrow in a mocking way, and there came the smirking.

Naruto went red and gapped few times, not having the ability to speak. "No-, it's just-"

"Look, don't worry about it. I already have someone I have my eyes on, and the person will be mine apparently. Just focus on yourself and the things I will teach you for these three months ahead." With that, Sasuke gave him a wink and continued surveying the place.

That caught him off-guard.

Sasuke Uchiha was winking at him? Or was it just his imagination? For some reason, he was kind of jealous that Sasuke actually had already someone else in his mind.

Who might the lucky person be?

"Oh and Naruto?"

"Yes?"

"Please pay attention more on even over little things."

What did that mean?

> **~o0o~**

"Give me your best shot," Sasuke asked, challenging his assistant by crossing his arms.

"Since the concepts are modern and clean, we should just put steel material on the bar table."

Sasuke nodded. "I agree with that but we shouldn't put all steel material on the table. We should cover it with mahogany, so the customer wouldn't tingle their skin upon making contact with the table."

"Okay."

"What about the floor."

"Wood?"

Sasuke shook his head. "It would cause so many noises. We should use marble."

Naruto pouted. "Okay."

"The wall."

"Hmm... We should combine the steel and wood."

"No. For starter, we need to set the theme of the color we want to use first. The concepts are modern and clean and we don't need to make the bar look like a freaking pennywise the clown."

Naruto was starting to boil but chose to take a deep breath. "Marble then."

Sasuke nodded. "But the marble on the floor must be different with the one we will be using on the wall."

Eh, the guy always had something to disagree with him. "Whatever suits you then..."

"You said that you are a close friend of our client. What is her favorite color?"

Did Sasuke like Ino? Why was he asking her favorite color? "Purple."

Sasuke nodded at the information. "We should set the lightning to her color."

Wow, he was very considerable. "Okay."

"Good. Let's go to the shop."

**~o0o~**

"So you actually remember calling me, huh?" Sakura answered the phone call Naruto was making.

"I will find you and kill you," Naruto said, determined to kill the woman.

"I will help you get the shovel." Someone added in.

"Sai, what the fuck?" What the fuck the pale ass was doing there?

"Wait, why would you kill me?" Sakura asked in confusion, ignoring Naruto's wonder.

"A bird told me that the three of you have a very nice chit-chat without me. My heart is deeply hurt so I invited myself since five." Sai admitted as he sighed dramatically.

"He has been using my electricity playing that damn PS4 just so he could master some shit to beat you, since fucking five in the fucking evening."

"Ugly, it's only-"

"SAI!"

"-four hours. What's friendship is for then?"

"Damn it, you two. But Sakura, I'm still gonna find you and kill you."

"But why-"

"Don't worry, Dickless. I will still get you a shovel to hide the body."

The three of them sighed in unison. "You are all so childish." Sai reasoned. "I can't believe that I have three strange friends. How did we meet again?"

Naruto was sure that he could hear Sakura rolling her eyes.

"So how's your day?"

"Thanks to you that for a day I couldn't help thinking about certain things to make me embarrassed. Hell, maybe forever. Thus, the idea of killing you."

"Oh..."

Naruto could hear the word was filled with realization and it was followed with a small giggle.

"Oh, my fucking ass. Fuck you, Sakura." Damn that woman.

"What is it?" Sai asked.

"I deserved a thank you, not a death threat." Sakura counterattack.

"What is it?" Sai asked again.

"No, bitch, you deserve it. I can't fucking see Sasuke in the fucking eyes for that!"

"Oh... So you've actually fantasized about your lecturer, huh? And not only that, but you are now on the first name basis with him." Sakura giggled demonically.

"EH, FORGET ABOUT THE SHOVEL. I'M KILLING THE TWO OF YOU!" Sai half screamed out of frustration just because he was being ignored for the nth time.

"I GAVE HIM A FUCKING LUBE AND A BOX OF CONDOM! DON'T FUCKING SCREAMED IN MY FUCKING EAR YOU PALE-ASS BITCH!" Sakura screamed back, pissed that Sai's mouth was actually near her ear. That almost tore her eardrum apart!

"NOT A BOTTLE AND A BOX, BITCH! BOTH ARE THREE OF THEM! AND STOP YELLING OR YOU TWO WOULD BE DEAD FOR GOOD BEFORE YOU TWO COULD FUCKING KILL EACH OTHER!"

Three of them were now panting, and to say that he wasn't startled by the sudden knock on his door was an understatement.

"Naruto, why are you yelling? Are you okay?" Sasuke asked from the outside of the room. His voice was dripped with concern, he could tell.

Naruto was silent.

"Dickless, you there?"

Naruto ended the phone call and stood up. "It's nothing, Sasuke! I just-" Think, Naruto... Think... "I just knocked my toe on the table!" Naruto half yelled in hope that his voice could reach the other man outside his room.

Before Naruto could do anything, the door was being opened. "Did you hurt yourself? Where?"

Naruto was frozen upon landing his eyes on his decorator. Of all state he could be in, why would he showed up with only a towel around his hips that was hanging so low that the v line was showing, that the navy material could fucking drop at any moment for all he knew, with water still dripping from the wet hair, which somehow was fucking sexy, down to that perfectly sculpted body and that flawless porcelain skin? Sasuke was actually working out.

Naruto was once again startled when his phone vibrated on his hand, and in reflect, he threw it on the carpeted floor. Thank god the floor was carpeted so he didn't have to work as a prostitute just to by a new one because of the phone didn't shatter to pieces.

"Damn it." The device continued vibrating but he chose to ignore it.

"Why aren't you picking that up?"

"It's my friend, nothing's important."

"Is that friend of yours the cause of the scream before or?" Sasuke asked looking at him.

"Or what?" Or rather Sasuke was looking, past him?

Naruto looked at Sasuke who was smirking while looking at somewhere else. His instinct led him to follow to where Sasuke was looking at.

He will for sure fucking kill Sakura for this.

He had forgotten to put away the hideous things which happened to be the three boxes of the condom and three bottles of lube in the center of his fucking bed he had left in the fucking morning.

Naruto sighed by closing his eyes. "My friend put them on my luggage without my knowledge, that's why I screamed before."

Sasuke shrugged indifferently, black eyes still glued to the _interesting objects._ "Lube?"

Naruto had had enough. With the face as red as Sasuke's favorite fruit, Naruto put his hands on Sasuke's shoulders' blade and pushed him out of his room. "I'm so embarrassed right now I wish I can throw away my face in a garbage can. I'm sorry!" With that, he closed the door and locked it before he left to roll himself with the blanket and cry from embarrassment.

He would be going to jail for sure.

**~o0o~**

"It's only two weeks on working with him and guess what? All he did to me was asking for ideas, but none of them were accepted. Won't he just listen for once? I'm his assistant, after all. What my job is then? Following him around just so I could be bullied?"

"..."

Naruto told Sasuke that he would be going out with his friends on particular Thursday night to meet his weird "friends" consisted of Sakura, Kiba, and Sai at a particular coffee shop.

"I can't even understand all of your proclaiming about him liking me, which is weird because if I were him, I would never treat someone I liked, like that."

"Let's investigate first, Dickless. Don't make any assumption. Be honest here. Did all of your ideas got rejected straight away?"

"Umm... Not really."

"How did he ask you? Any particular way?" Sai continued his investigation by asking questions. All Kiba and Sakura did just watch.

"He'd say, _'give me your shot'_ , or _'any idea?'_ , something like that."

"How did you respond?"

"I went like this, _'gah, I can't believe you doing this to me, asking for my ideas but you always have something to interject me or correct me!'_ , something like that."

"Typical Naruto," Kiba commented, and Sakura nodded in agreement.

"How should I react then? I was just accepting his correction on my ideas and he kept pushing my button until I burst out! Not only that, he would stop only until I burst out and he would smirk at me! Gah! That guy!"

Sai smiled. "I knew it."

Kiba was skeptical but Sakura eventually spoke up. "I can't believe you are this dense. He definitely was teasing you. Earning that kind of response might entertain him in some way, thus, the smirking. I think he was satisfied having what he wanted."

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Naruto, I might be dumb but, I actually understand this, which make you the dumber. Look, the first time we met him, he would always tease you. Have you seen him doing that to other people?"

Naruto bit his bottom lip. "You are just reading things too far." He reasoned, still denying, even though it was a weak one.

Sai, Sakura, and Kiba were actually rolling their eyes.

"Seriously, Dickless. I don't even know how to convince you anymore. Let me just ask you some questions. Be honest here."

Naruto shrugged. "You have been doing that from the start."

Sai ignored the remark. "Let's just pretend that Duck-butt actually liked you. If he were to confess, what would you do?"

"Eh, not gonna happen."

Sakura had to hit the blonde's head with her purse. "Sorry, just want to. This skull is just too thick for the average human."

Naruto flinched, Sai shook his head, and Kiba sighed.

"Let's just pretend that it's happening. What would you do?"

"Umm... Honestly... I never thought about that."

"Eh, you have fantasized him fucking you-"

"Sakura!"

"-and yet you never thought about him confessing to you?"

Kiba was shocked upon hearing that, he had to ask the woman how.

"Remember the lubes and condoms?"

"Huh?" Kiba asked in confusion.

"Ah, that... Naughty Dickless..."

"Are you guys having a conspiracy behind my back?" Kiba asked in disbelief. He felt betrayed that there was something going on between his friends that he didn't know of.

"Guys..." Naruto whined.

"You were with Hinata that time, remember? I told you to come since this idiot would be calling, but you said that you already had a date with Hinata."

"Oh."

"Hey!"

"Answer my question, Dickless."

"What question?"

"I'll publish the picture you were crying when I beat your ass on Instagram if you-"

"What the fuck? Alright, calm down, Jeez... Fine. I don't know. I honestly haven't thought about that."

"Just answer yes or no."

"..."

"..."

Naruto sighed. "I might be complaining about him teasing me, but I have to admit that I kind of... Like it?"

The other three pulled off a knowing smile Naruto couldn't read because he was too dense.

"Why?"

Naruto shrugged. "I kind of... Like the attention, I'm getting... From him..."

Kiba crossed his arms, closing his eyes, pulled off a smile, nodding.

"So the answer is yes."

"The problem is, I don't know if he likes me. I doubt it. He had mentioned before that he already had someone in mind or something like that."

"It could be you."

"I don't know. It could be, it couldn't be me... Let's just see what's coming. I won't assume that he likes me, not until he says so."

"Just, be true to yourself, Dickless."

"You guys are so helping, aren't you?"

The four of them could only sigh in unison for the nth time that night.

Sai took a sip of his mineral water. "Now here's a thing. Let me prove you that Uchiha likes you."

Naruto raised his blonde eyebrow in confusion. "If he likes me or not, why are you the one to prove it? Isn't it his job?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Apparently not only Uchiha sucks when it comes to flirting, he didn't realize that the one he was attempting poorly his flirts with was also a thick-skull dumbass."

Naruto gave her a nasty look.

"It's true." Kiba shrugged.

"Hey!"

"That's why I got a plan for us." Sai eventually told the three of them his plan. Kiba and Sakura approved that it was such a brilliant idea, meanwhile, Naruto was feeling uncomfortable about the whole thing.

He sighed. He'll just leave all of that to them until they prove themselves wrong.

Or was it?

**~o0o~**

Naruto stole glances at Sasuke whenever he wasn't looking or more likely was focusing on something else in the bar. He kept doing it while biting his lower lip, had no idea how to bring up the invitation his friends were planning.

The plan was to bring Sasuke to their gathering in their favorite bar in Shibuya, and apparently, they planned on leaving the two to talk while they watched silently from afar to see if Sasuke really liked him or not.

To say that he wasn't curious was an understatement. He sure wanted to know if Sasuke really liked him but he just couldn't quite see the clues. Also, he got mixed feelings about the idea of Sasuke liking him, since the guy seemed to be indifferent, what not with the confession that he already had someone else in mind. Who could the person be?

"Naruto, stop doing that and give me your opinion," Sasuke said but his eyes were still anywhere but Naruto's.

Naruto sighed. "You won't even listen to my ideas, so it doesn't matter."

That caught Sasuke's whole attention. "What do you mean? Are you sulking?"

Naruto shrugged. "We have been working together for almost three weeks now, but every time I gave you pieces of my mind, you always reject them."

"That's not true."

The topic had gone somewhere else from what he had planned to. "Then why are you keep rejecting my ideas then?"

Sasuke had to sigh with eyes closed before he opened them again. "I never rejected them. I was just correcting them or added some ideas to your original ones. All are according to your ideas. Didn't you see that?" Sasuke scoffed. "Naruto, you can't be this dense, can you?"

"Damn it," Naruto whispered, looking away. Was he really dense? Not only his friends said that but Sasuke too?

Sasuke raised his eyebrow. "What's with the change of mood?"

Say it, Naruto. Just say it! "Do you have a plan on next Saturday?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, uh, I want you to go with me, uh, meet my friends...?" Would Sasuke reject his invitation? He was sure that his lecturer would definitely reject it without a second thou-

"Sure. Where?" The fact that maybe Sasuke had gotten used to Naruto's change of mind all of a sudden made him to not push the previous topic anymore.

Naruto looked at Sasuke deadpanned. "I seriously thought that you would reject my offer without a second thought."

"You are too negative about me."

"I'm sorry."

Sasuke nodded. "I'll tell you the truth."

Naruto without realizing had swallowed his saliva of what happened next. Sasuke had gone serious and was looking at Naruto dead in his eyes. It was like Uchiha was looking for his soul.

"For some strange reason, whenever I landed my eyes on you, I got these sorts of ideas popping up out of the blue. I can proudly say that you are my muse."

Naruto didn't realize that he had held his breath for a good one minute.

"Now stop complaining and help me." With that, Sasuke was back to his usual self of being indifferent.

Naruto meanwhile was thinking that he might actually start to notice Sasuke's behavior toward himself now. Naruto shook his head inwardly. What if he did this also to any other person?

"Sasuke, can I ask you maybe a couple of questions?"

"Sure."

"Have you ever had an apprentice before me?"

Sasuke stopped at his track to look at Naruto again. "No, you are my first. Why?"

Then he was the only person Sasuke had mentored.

"Do you plan on mentoring any other apprentice, maybe after me?"

"There won't be after you. It's safe to say that you are my first and my last since after you are graduating, my duty lecturing is done."

Naruto hummed.

He should actually learn about Sasuke and his behavior toward himself and toward anybody else, to see the difference.

That would be his mission for now.

"Do you think I'm too dense?"

"Dense? Well, speaking frankly, I thought you were too innocent, naïve even. But I was wrong after that incident in your room." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto coughed and his face went red when the scene of Sasuke finding the lubes and condoms that were situated perfectly on top of his bed came by playing before his eyes.

"Then yes, you can be too dense sometimes. So I begged you to please pay more attention and be more sensitive to things around you."

**~o0o~**

Naruto liked Sasuke. He actually had started to notice his decorator in a different way. Back in the university when he was still a normal student, he didn't really pay attention to Sasuke's behavior. But after the incident and his friends and their never-ending pestering him about the man liking him, that was where it all changed.

Sasuke was gorgeous, that's for sure. He was wealthy, smart, and good-looking. He was too perfect to be a human. He was also sexy and very charming. Naruto had to admit it.

Of all people, he could ask some other student to bully every day, but he chose Naruto. Of all people, Sasuke could choose someone else to take as his assistant but he chose Naruto. After Sasuke had admitted that he was dense, he had realized that he needed to be more sensitive to what's happening around him, included Sasuke. But something was bothering him, whether if Sasuke liked him for real or not. Naruto could actually ask Sasuke out for a date, but he didn't want to take the drastic risk. What if his friends' guesses were wrong about Sasuke toward him? He would for sure lose his relationship with Sasuke. But on the other side, what if his friends were right? He shook his head. If his friends were right about Sasuke liking him, he'd just wait for the man to ask him out. He would actually be broken-hearted if Sasuke liked someone else but he was sure that he could cope up with that and still be friend with the man rather than losing him.

Was he a coward, for he didn't know for sure.

He'd just wait for Sasuke to make the first move. All he could do was just pay attention and be more sensitive, just like what Sasuke had told him a couple of times before.

Wait a minute...

Pay attention and be more sensitive? Did that mean...

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think of this chapter? Your review is appreciated 


	6. Chapter 6

There was a nervous cough in the air, and it came from Naruto. Sasuke looked at Naruto who was standing beside him with a questioning look. The younger male seemed nervous by his occasional fidgeting. "I should be the one who is nervous," Sasuke stated as a matter of fact.

The two men were now standing in front of the said-bar that Naruto's friend had informed them to meet. Sasuke made perfect sense. He should be the one to feel nervous, not Naruto. But why? What's with the sudden fast beating of his heart wouldn't seem to slow down?

His lecturer, Sasuke, was wearing something casual, not his usual crisp black suit. Well, the other time was an exception when the pale man was wearing only a towel riding low that porcelain hips with water dripping down that...

"Gah!" He yelled out in frustration. Get a hold of yourself, Naruto!

Sasuke gave Naruto a nasty look. "Dobe,"

"They take so long to arrive!" Naruto reasoned, even though it was a lie, but a very believable one.

"Calm down, we are the one who was too early by fifteen minutes." His lecturer said, squeezing Naruto's hand in his in a comforting way after reaching for it.

In an instant, Naruto's face grew red. He was shocked by the fact that Sasuke was now holding his hand comfortingly. The two fell silent, and Naruto waited as he watched people had started to enter the bar, and Sasuke didn't seem to let go of his hand anytime now. Should he let go? But Sasuke was holding it tightly. He could just let go of Sasuke's hand, but he kind of... liked being held by the older man. He couldn't lie to it. With the thought alone his face grew darker. Thanked God that the area was shadowed with dim light around it, not too bright but not too dark either, so his flaming face couldn't be noticed, kinda.

"Yo!" came a greeting from Kiba with a smiling Sakura beside, and Sai in the front leading the pack holding a hand up with a smile. Finally!

"About time," Naruto commented, and the knowing look the three sent to Naruto didn't go unnoticed by him. About what? Sasuke apparently wouldn't let go of his hand.

Because Sasuke was holding Naruto's hand with his right hand, he eventually let go of the shorter male's hand to shake hands with the three other people. For a moment Naruto didn't like the loss of warmth from Sasuke's hand on him, but he shrugged it off. Thinking that he was being ridiculous about his unnecessary thoughts.

"Shall we go in?" Sai invited the four and they followed him inside after agreeing.

"I already booked a table on the far end of the room. Let's head there."

The room was dim with a dark red or purple light changing from one to another, the music blasting with heavy beats, and people were either dawning their shots on the bar table or dancing. Some were having their good time together like they were about to do, and some even were making out. Naruto scrunched his nose. He was sure that somewhere inside this place that there were people having sex.

The five of them installed themselves on the booked table Sai had reserved before. The table was round with the C-shape seats. The seats had a backrest. Sakura entered first as she sat backing the wall. Then Naruto and Kiba entered across each other, so the two were facing. Sasuke and Sai entered last, facing each other. That made Kiba sat between Sakura and Sai, while Naruto between Sakura and Sasuke.

"I'm glad that you are agreeing to get together, Uchiha-san," Sakura said truthfully with a smile.

Sasuke nodded. "Thank you for inviting."

"I was sure Uchiha-sensei would reject the offer, given that it's the weekend. Uchiha-sensei might have a date or something." Kiba commented, already starting the bait.

Almost everyone was holding their breaths, except Kiba and Sasuke himself. It's not even five minutes they were there and Kiba had already moved with his plan. What would Sasuke answer to that?

"Hn."

Everyone that was holding their breaths heaved a deep sigh. That was one hell of an information.

"We should order our drinks. Would beer do?" Sai asked, cutting the conversation.

Already? Naruto squirmed silently.

As if answering Naruto's silent question, Sasi shrugged. "Since we are five, and we were the one who invited Uchiha-san, we should order a bunch," Sai told them as he stood up, even though he just sat for only half a minute.

"You need someone to help you with the bottle," Sakura said as she stood up.

Kiba stood up as well. "Someone has to help with the bottles, too, if we are going to order a bunch, and someone also has to accompany Uchiha-sensei."

Naruto turned red but didn't comment. The plan was to leave the two alone and the three would be watching from afar to judge whether Sasuke liked Naruto or not. If that was the case, Naruto would just ask Sasuke out alone, but then it would be considered a date, and that was too fast for a move. They afraid that what if Sasuke wasn't gay and disgusted with the idea of turning him off and ran away? So Sai came with a safer plan.

Naruto sighed as he watched the three left. He and Sasuke were sitting next to each other awkwardly on the far end of the room.

"Well, this is awkward." Naruto voiced his thought.

"It isn't. More likely it's only you." Sasuke ended with a shrug.

"It's awkward if the two of us would just be standing here."

"What do you suggest to do then?"

Naruto watched the dance floor of where people were dancing, some were grinding each other hips. He sighed. "I don't know."

"Naruto..."

Naruto looked from the dance floor to Sasuke. "Yes?"

"Are you uncomfortable being alone with... me?" Sasuke asked serious, without looking at Naruto.

Naruto looked at his hands on his lap. "Uncomfortable? No. More likely... I don't know how to act." Naruto answered truthfully. It's not like it was his first time to be alone with the Uchiha. It's just... They were now on a different occasion. When they were alone, it was either for academic purpose or work. And then, he wasn't really paying attention well. Now was different. He had understood things. And he had to be paying more attention to things.

"You are shy," Sasuke stated.

Naruto looked back at Sasuke, and he fumed looking that the man was smirking. "No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are."

"I'm not!"

"Hn. Then how do you not know how to act around me? This is your first."

Naruto pouted. "I'm not telling." There's no way he would tell Sasuke that he had started to pay more attention to Sasuke and his behavior.

The two went silent. That made Naruto started thinking about Sasuke and his complexion. The man was so good looking and handsome. Wearing black button up shirt with long sleeves, three buttons were left unbuttoned, revealing pale, flawless skin, not to mention the gold chain that was adoring the pale neck. It was not too much, just plain and simple, but so pretty. The sleeves of the black shirt were rolled up to the elbows, wearing black Rolex with the hint of gold, equal black pants dress that hugged his fine legs perfectly with black shoes. The hair on his right was stuck on his ear, revealing a piercing on it.

Naruto looked away and gulped. Had Sasuke had that piercing before? If so, he never paid attention to it.

Naruto hid his face in his hands. What part of Sasuke did he actually pay attention to?

"Naruto, what's-"

"Hey, I have been seeing you for quite sometimes. Do you like to dance with me?" A brunette long-haired girl came into a view approaching the two of them that were sitting, wearing a red mini dress, revealing quite a cleavage. She seemed to be asking Sasuke as she landed her hand on his shoulder.

"Can you see I have a date here?"

That caught Naruto and the girl off-guard. Naruto stared in disbelief and confused while the girl retracted her hand from Sasuke's shoulder. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't know." With that, she bowed her head embarrassed and left the two men.

"You could have accepted her offer you know... She's pretty."

"And leave you alone? Hell no."

"Your date? That's one hell of an excuse. I'm a man, you know."

Sasuke shrugged. "I'm gay, so I don't really care." There was a pause before Sasuke asked, "Don't tell me you are homophobic."

Naruto shook his head, "No, I'm not."

"What are you, then? Straight? Gay? Bi? Asexual?"

Naruto bit his lips. "I... don't know. Haven't really think about that."

"Don't tell me you are a virgin."

Naruto looked away.

Sasuke's eyes were wide like the size of saucepan by now. "Surely you have watched porn, no?"

"My godfather writes porn."

"What do you think about sexual activity?"

"I have no idea."

"Hmm... That's strange. Haven't you thought about having sex?"

"Never really think about it."

"Have you... Masturbated."

"Can we talk about something else?"

"Never?" This time Sasuke was really shocked.

"Well, have you?" Naruto shot back.

"Yes, I did a couple of times."

"Mastur...bating?"

"Masturbating? Yes. Sex? No. Haven't had the reaction I wanted from anybody except..."

Naruto was silent for a moment, thinking of what Sasuke would say next. He was shocked that Sasuke was actually curious about his sex life when he never thought about it. Sure he had watched porn, thanks to Jiraiya, but that didn't really interest him when he was too busy making his life better. He didn't have time to screwing around. So, Sasuke was still a virgin as well, that's news. Hadn't had reaction from anybody? Same. But then he said except...

"Except?"

"Did we take long?"

When Naruto was least expecting the trio to appear, they appeared. Naruto looked up to see at Sai who was winking at him, and the two, Kiba and Sakura were having knowing smiles. Naruto sighed and decided to leave the conversation at that. The topic was uncomfortable, to begin with but it wasn't so bad talking to Sasuke. Was it normal? But who actually took Sasuke's interest?

Then again, Sasuke masturbated?

Naruto shook his head to cast the thought of Sasuke Uchiha in his bed masturbating away.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm shaking from anticipation to drink, finally!" Naruto lied. It's like he had known how to lie properly.

With that, he took a bottle and drank it.

**~o0o~**

"Is he... wasted?" Sasuke asked Sai but his eyes were looking on Naruto whose head was sprawled on the table.

Kiba was sprawled on the couch but he was mumbling coherent things, smiling like an idiot, with a half-emptied bottle in hand. Sakura was barely holding on by hiding her face with her hands, elbows supporting on the table, but they could tell that she was still sober. Meanwhile, Sasuke and Sai were perfectly fine.

Before they drank their beer, Naruto and Kiba had forced the two men to drink, but Sasuke refused with reason that he needed to be sober to drive back home. Sai said the same, so Kiba and Naruto left the topic there and announced that they should just bet on who would go drunk first lost. Apparently, the two had gone wasted together to even remember that they had a bet.

Sai smiled seeing his wasted friends. "Yes, he is. Both of the boys."

Sasuke sighed.

"Uchiha-san?" Sai asked suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Can I have a moment with you?" Sai asked

Seeing that there was no harm in it, he shrugged. "Sure."

"Good. Let's talk outside."

**~o0o~**

The two found a place outside the building. There was a bench, so Sai took a seat. Sai offered to sit but Sasuke rejected politely, saying that he had been sitting enough inside. So he stood there leaning on the lamp post. Sai nodded in understanding. The two were holding a bottle of the beer.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked after they made themselves comfortable.

"It's about Naruto."

Sasuke chugged his beer before he asked back, "what about him?"

Sai chugged as well before he continued, "do you like him?"

Sasuke shot his eyebrow questionably. "Is it any of your concern?" Was the guy jealous or what?

Sai smiled. "Yes. I just want to make sure that you do like him. You see, a friend of mine is quite dense so I just want to confirm it."

"If you know about me liking him or not, what are you gonna do about it, become our cupid or something?" Apparently, he was wrong. For a moment he thought that this Sai guy was jealous of his feelings toward Naruto. Instead of that he was offering to be his Cupid, wasn't it?

"Not that, because that's your job. For how long have you liked him?"

"From the first time I laid my eyes on him." April, the first.

"Have you been hitting on him properly? It has been three years then, almost four. Don't you plan on making your move on him?"

Sasuke sighed. He didn't know why he felt like he should be opening up more to Sai. "I have... For the longest time, but it seems fruitless. It's like, I'm not making any progress. Why?"

"I'm sorry, Uchiha, but-"

"Just call me Sasuke. That's too formal."

"Alright, Sasuke. You see, Naruto was dense, and probably still is. And I concluded that your way of hitting on him was too weak. He didn't pay attention to you that way. So far he thought that you hated him that much, until last week we told him that you liked him and told him to started pay attention to it."

Sasuke took the time to chug his beer before he replied. "I noticed that, too. So I told him during our work to pay more attention to even a little thing, several times. I even hold his hand a couple of times. There's no straight guy holding another guy hand like that for minutes."

Sai sighed.

Sasuke continued. "So, does he like me now or no?"

"That's what I'm about to tell you. We have been telling him that you like him, but he's in denial. But he once admitted that even though you kept teasing him that he interpreted as bullying, he enjoyed them. He said that he likes the attention he's getting from you. Naruto hasn't been in any romantic relationship before so it's safe to say that you are his first. He might be confused about certain things, but I can proudly say that he likes you."

"Then..."

"If you want him, just make your move, romantically. I believe he would appreciate that and you can confess afterward."

Sasuke whispered his thanks with a smirk, as he chugged another from his bottle.

**~o0o~**

"Sakura, can you stand up?" Sai asked as he and Sasuke came back from their talk outside. The girl was still in her earlier position, hiding her face on her hands. She eventually looked up and nodded, even though she was blushing, it was not from anything but the alcohol.

"I can manage, but I'm not sure if I can drive." She admitted.

"Guess I will be the driver tonight. I'll take care of Kiba as well." Sai replied eyeing the brunette guy who was already snoring, sighing with eyes closed.

"Just take care of the bill. I will take Kiba with me." She stated as she made her way to Kiba. Sai nodded and proceeded to leave the four to pay the bill. "How about you, Uchiha-san? Can you take care of Naruto?" She added in while proceeding to lift Kiba by circling his hand around her shoulders.

Sasuke only nodded watching the sleeping Naruto on the table.

"Good. We should get going." She informed, and Sasuke started shaking Naruto lightly to wake him up.

"It won't do. You should lift him up. If you can't, just wait here I'll take Kiba first." The fact that the woman was strong enough to lift Naruto made him uneasy. He shouldn't lose to a woman!

Sasuke shook his head. "It's okay, I can manage. You should go as well." He stated as he began lifting the sleeping blonde bridal style.

Sakura smiled and the two made their way outside. Sai was already outside waiting.

"Can I crash at your house?" Sai asked the woman while looking at his watch.

Sakura only shrugged and began walking. "I'll ask mom to call Kiba's mom."

Sai smiled and began following her. Sasuke followed beside him.

"Are we good?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, we are very good. Right, Sasuke?" Sai smiled.

"Hn."

**~o0o~ FLASHBACK / SASUKE'S POV ~o0o~**

"Now that you've graduated, I think you should work it out," Itachi told his little brother, Sasuke, who was sitting in the passenger seat next to him. The two were on their way to the airport, ready to fly back to Japan. Sasuke had gone to the university in London to follow his big brother, Itachi's path, as a decorator. Being a decorator was quite entertaining when you got to transform a boring room into something great.

"Work out what?" Sasuke asked his brother who was still not prying his eyes from the road.

"Your social skill."

Sasuke shot his eyebrow questioningly. "Why?"

"It's part of being a decorator. You have to socialize with your clients."

"What should I do then?"

They stopped under the traffic lights, that was when Itachi looked at his little brother with a smile. "By becoming a lecturer."

**~o0o~**

Sasuke stood in front of T University his brother had told him about, with the man himself beside him. Today, March 31st would be a day before his first day as a lecturer. Apparently, the department was funded by the Uchiha clan. The Uchiha Group was the most famous decorator's company in the country. Itachi himself had lectured here before to work out his social skill. The time that was given to him was only for four years, enough to graduate a generation.

"You will be lecturing just like me for four years. You also have to take a student for the internship. Don't worry though, you still have three years ahead for that. Now, follow me."

Sasuke could only follow his brother around to show him his office and his classes, making a tour. He was handed a map to locate any other buildings, compartments, restrooms, etc.

If he were to choose, he'd rather just skip this part. But he had to agree with his brother that he was sucked when it came to socializing. Itachi even admitted that he was sucked as well, so the things in mind to keep him going were to just get along with it and be patient.

Tomorrow... April 1st would be his first day of becoming the lecturer. Just be patient...

"Tomorrow is the inauguration day. Every freshman will be gathered in the auditorium right there," Itachi informed his little brother by pointing at the building that was stood across where they were before he continued, "you should be there because every lecturer will be introduced in front of them."

"When?"

"Around ten in the morning."

Sasuke nodded. It's only a part of being a decorator. Be patient, Sasuke... That was what he kept reminding himself again and again.

**~o0o~**

On the first of April, Sasuke stood on the podium to introduce himself. He could see people began whispering and some were even had the shocked expression on, he could see hearts shaping eyes, as ridiculous as it sounded, but he just cast them off. This was boring! But for the sake of becoming a professional decorator, he could do this.

Not until around lunchtime that day, the other lecturer that he had known for the longest time, Kakashi Hatake, dragged him to socialize by eating lunch at the cafeteria. Sasuke was about to reject the offer but Kakashi reasoned that Itachi had told him to make sure that his little brother must eat there. That was why he found himself sitting on one of the tables. Kakashi kept talking but Sasuke was listening to him absent-mindedly as his eyes wondered the cafeteria. The place was okay, he felt like he needed to decorate the place again.

Until two people, no, a person more specifically caught his attention.

One was brunette with wild hair, two red triangular tattoos marrying his face, with toothy grins that were directed to an equal toothy grin that seemed like the two were mirroring each other, coming from the other person in front of him. The other that had caught Sasuke's attention was the blonde boy. He was good looking and there's this boyish aura around him that made him attractive in a unique way. The boy was grinning, his eyes made perfect lines.

"The two are freshmen. They will be in our classes."

Sasuke nodded at the information Kakashi was giving. Being a lecturer couldn't be so bad after all.

From there on, Sasuke began paying attention more to the blonde boy. When at first he thought being a lecturer was boring, now he thought that it wasn't so bad at all. He began treating the boy like no other. He gave him special attention, hoping that he would attract the boy. Naruto was great in his classes, and all of his designs were outstanding. From attraction developed into something more, something that wanted to own him. When at first Sasuke started to get his attention, now he wanted more. From meeting at the campus for five days a week, the weekdays seemed so long to wait until Monday came again. On the third week of the fifth day, after class, he began following the blonde home so he could know where he lived and where he worked. When he found out where he worked, he started crashing there to have lunch, just so he could find him. When Sunday he couldn't see the boy, he began looking again, to find that Naruto liked to just spend the time in his house. When Naruto went outside, he followed and tried his best to just appeared to be a coincidence to meet him outside the university. He was sure that he was being a creeper, but he didn't care. If he wanted something, he would get it, no matter what. And he always got what he wanted. And Naruto wasn't an exception.

However, apparently, it was not an easy task to get Naruto became his.

Apparently after almost four years being a lecturer and his constant approaches on Naruto, he didn't make any progress. The generation that had entered the university at the same time as him would soon graduate, and he included. His task as a lecturer would end soon, too. It was almost four years already and his approaches toward Naruto was fruitless. He seemed to have lost all his chances until Kakashi reminded him that he needed to take an apprentice under his wings for three months before his task ended. Just after that conversation with Kakashi, Kiba, Naruto's best friend, passed by. With that, he ordered the brunette boy to summon Naruto to his office. That was the only chance he had to win the blonde boy.

And just before, Sasuke thought, as he watched the sleeping blonde on his passenger seat, Sai told him that Naruto was pretty dense until they pointed things out, and apparently his approaches up until now were too weak. He shook his head inwardly. He should start moving boldly before it's too late. He should just risk his pride for Naruto. The blond was worth risking his pride for. Now or never. Or maybe, tomorrow. Wait until Naruto was sober.

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what do you think? 


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